Lance Morgan, a Man With a Wide Smile and a Huge Heart
Saturday, January 19, 2013 @ 2:49 PM
Prince George, B.C. – It was a celebration which mirrored the way Lance Morgan lived his life……with a wide smile, a hearty laugh and a heart filled with love.
The First Baptist Church at which Reverend Lance Morgan was pastor for 36 years was filled to overflowing for the two-hour service in memory of the man who died January 4th at the age of 79. Family, friends, dignitaries and people from far and wide gathered with Lance’s wife Pat, their four children and grandchildren to honour a man who was enormously respected for his caring of others.
There wasn’t a eulogy in the, perhaps, normal fashion but rather the memories of three people who were very close to Lance and Pat Morgan. Shirley Bond told the audience that “for many years, Lance has been talking about today. He planned his own Celebration of Life. Throughout the years we discussed exactly what was going to happen today. He continually reminded me about the importance of saying wonderful things about him. He made me promise him that I would be generous in my praise and explicit about his amazing qualities. He warned me that if I didn’t make that promise, I would be off the list.” Bond went on to say that “in particular he wanted me to highlight the fact that he was an incredibly humble person.” That drew an enormous chuckle from the audience, as would many other recollections during the service. Lance Morgan was a person who loved to laugh and make others laugh as well, even, and maybe especially, today. Bond said “I made that promise to Lance and I intend to honour it today. I want you to know it’s a tiny bit uncomfortable with him looking over my shoulder and on the screen in front of me (simulcast of the service) “cause I’m positive there’s going to be a report card.”
Bond thanked Pat and her family for sharing Lance with the community, even though it meant making sacrifices and said “imagine being married for more than 56 years to a humble pastor.” She mentioned how he would speak of leading with your heart and said that’s what Lance did. Bond told of people who would come up and say “He cared for me and made time for me. He was an amazing person.” She says he “told me to follow my heart” and use my strengths to the best of my ability. “He never judged me, just encouraged me.” She says he did give her pointers on what to do and not do during question period in the legislature.
Bill Mains described Lance Morgan as a very knowledgeable pastor who used humor in his sermons. He said Lance, who was an avid photographer, enjoyed using his dark room as one of his favorite counseling areas. He noted that the 36 years as pastor of one single church still stands as a record. He also mentioned how Lance loved to go fishing but “didn’t really worry about size restrictions or catch limits.” He called Lance Morgan the most significant Christian person in his life, and said Lance was a “great pastor, great citizen and great role model.” He also said “it didn’t matter what your station in life, Lance would be there for you.”
Fred McLeod said everywhere that Lance went “there were two words that were used to describe him: humble and good-looking. He would tell everyone how humble he was. And he would say “Don’t you think I’m better looking than” whomever he was talking about.” McLeod called Lance Morgan “a man of stature, small physically but huge in his influence on people.” He says Lance was divinely flawed and said, in talking with God today, “as Lance stands before you, the report card from Earth is that he is wonderfully flawed. As for humble and good-looking, Lance can tell you about that.”
Following a slide show presentation Lance Morgan’s grandchildren and then children spoke of his singing, love of photography, ability to make others smile, his jokes, stories and wisdom, his mentorship and the spiritual heritage that he passes on. His oldest son, Wayne, said his dad would see the beauty in the world and would see the best in people.
Pastor Cal Malena said Lance was a man of many things. “More than anything in my mind Lance was a man of faith, faith in God, in Jesus Christ. “He dedicated much of his life helping other people discover faith in God and teaching them how faith in God could change their lives. His faith gave him great concern for the unfortunate, especially people in trouble and downtrodden. He made First Baptist Church into the kind of place that welcomed anyone, no matter what their background or nationality, or how messy or broken their lives were.”
Pastor Malena says “Lance was not great in the physical exercise department but speaking spiritually, I think that Lance Morgan was an amazing spiritual athlete. He fought the good fight, he finished the race, he remained full of faith right to the finish line and now he stands on the podium somewhere up there in heaven receiving his reward and beginning this new adventure of his eternal life.”
Comments
Godspeed, Rev. Morgan.
I never knew him personally, but in attending weddings and funerals over which he presided, it was easy to see that he was good with, and enjoyed, people of all stripes, young and old.
metalman.
Great man. R.I.P.
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